Reversible tubular lock mechanism



Aug. 18, 1953 F. K. HEYER REVERSIBLE TUBULAR LOCK MECHANISM INVENTOR /C Heij/z BY /c am ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13. 1949 Aug. 18, 1953 F. K. HEYER REVERSIBLE TUBULAR LOCK MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13. 1949,

Enum

. KO F INVENTOR HWK/- BLM/M ATTORNEY Aug.`18, 1953 F. K. HEYER REVERSIBLE TUBULAR LOCK MECHANISM Filed May 13. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wm uw F a O- u m WJ m m# R o f l WM m mm ..l. Own m m o Q @i @m NN mb @Nl mw ON NN. .v m mm o@ W M uu @N I m@ l fIHML --mwwwm ONL WN, \w\\ S@ @00 G f//f///Wf v. W i -E b @N mw 1 1 s 8 Som v ww uw N N w 3 Nw mv s w ov o n@ 5 o@ t om Aug. 18, 1953 F. K. HEYER 2,649,325

REVERSIBLE TUBULAR lLOCK MECHANISM Filed May 13', 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR F7C/Lf@ Lr- ATTORNEY Aug. 1s, 1953 F. K; HEYER 2,649,325

REVERSIBLE TUBULAR LOCKMECHANISM Y Filed Mayf151949 5.Sheets-Shevet` 5 O gww ATTORNEY Patentecl Aug. 18, 1953 REVERSIBLETUBULAR LOCK MECHANISM.

FredericK. Heyer, Stamford,l'Conn., assignor to The Yale & YTowne Manufacturing Company, Stamford,-'Conn., a corporation of Connecticut.v

Application Mayl, 1949, SerialNo. 92,983

14 Claims. 1

This 'invention relatesv to 'a lock, and more particularly, to a lock of the tubular type. Locks of this class usually comprise a housing, that I shall term a spindle housing, inserted through a transverse bore in a door. A second bore is formed running inwardly. from the edge of the door toward theA first bore, and in this second bore there is mounted What I term `a latchbolt housing. Suitable means are provided within the spindle housing for operating means carried by the latchbolt housing for retracting the latchbolt of the housing' and for controlling its operation.

It is. an importantobject of my invention to contribute, inalock of Vthe class described, lock mechanism that is rendered. operative when the spindle housing yis assembled tothe latchbolt housing in reversed vpositions in a door, all vwithout requiring the. assembly of the operating means in the spindle 4housingto the operating means in the latchbolt housing. Thus, the assembly of the `latohbolt housing to the spindle housing by the mere placing of these housings inproper position relatively to one another, renders the latchbolt. retracting mechanism...operative regardlessof whetheror. not the latchbolt housing is in either of reversed positions relatively to the spindle housing.y

More particularly, by my invention the latchbolt housing thus can be 4operatively assembled relatively: tothe spindle housing-,g Without assembly .of other. operating-means, because of the novel relationship between the knob operated latchbolt retracting mechanism'mounted in the spindle housing, .and the latchbolt and its mechanism mounted in the latchbolt housing.

This feature of my invention results particularly from the utilization of .a memberin the spindle-.housing thatefects retraction yof the latchboltVv regardless .of` the relative positions in which the housings are assembled. I prefer to construct. this member as fa single plate-like spindleaand I arrange this plate-like spindle -to be juxtaposedfto alatchbolt retractor in Ythe latchbolt housing in any assembled position'of .f

the housings. The knobs of the lock'move the plate-like'spindle when rotated in-.one direction ory the other, and the plate-like spindlepushes the latchbolt retractor"inwardly of the latchbolt'housing to retract the latohbolt. While enablingl meI toy assemble the lock in `different reversedv positions-,my extremely novel construction is also adapted very readily forA use asan outside .door lock,or for bathroom or :bedroom operation, asfvvill presently bemadequite-clear-.-

2 f I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention-in lorderfthat thel detailed `'description thereof that follows may beibetter understood,-land in orderthat mycontribution toy the art'maybe vbetter appreciated.- There are, of course, additional featuresof my invention that will be described hereinafter and which williorm the vsubject of the claims-appended hereto. lThosehskilled in the art -Will-ap ing out lthe several purposes of myinvention; Itk

is important,` therefore, that-the vclaims lto be granted me shall `befof suicientbreadth to prevent the appropriation-oi" my invention bythose skilled in the art.

' Referring'now to the drawings,-Fig; 1 is'ahorizontal sectional view through thel look of my invention'showingfit applied to a door. Figs. 2, 3, 4,'and 5 aresections taken Yrespectively along 'lines 2 2, 3-3,if3, and 5 5 ofFig. 1. Fig. 6 is a View of the' lock parts'shown in Fig. 1, but with the push button pressed inwardly to locking posi'- tion and the spindle detent moved thereby to locked position.l Fig.l '7 lis a section Jin smaller scale similar to Fig. 5, showing the .manner in which the latchbolt retractor is actuated bythe spindle. 4lig. 8 is an end View of a part. termed by me a dog actuator, while Fig. .9 is a side view thereof. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the. dog actuator cut in half. Figs..11 and 12 are views illustrating the movement of. apart of the lock effected by the dog. actuator.

t Fig. 13 isan exploded view of certain ofthe parts of my invention showing .theircoaction and operation. Fig. 14 isanfexploded View of the spindle plate and spindle detent and the parts utilized in .connection therewith. .Fig..l5 isfA an elevation of the. spindlehousing-showing Vthe inside and outside knobs and roses assembled thereto. Fig.v .16 isa View looking downwardly, on-the parts-of Fig. l5 with thelatchbolt housing assembled vtothe spindle housing. Figs. 17, 18 and 19 show three assembly.4 relationshipsy betweenthe latchbolt .housing` andspindle housing,` these being in. additionto the assembly relationship or Fig. 16.. .Figi 20 isanfelevationof the latchbolt housing andthe latchbolt and retractor as sociated therewith:- Fig. 21 illustrates a modified form offthe inventionadapted.v -forbathroom operation.- v

Referring fnovvprioreparticularlyA JLo-:the drawings, and more-,especially to Figs. 1,l5y-16, and 20, the latchbolt housing .of my invention is .des-

ignated generally by reference letter L and comprises a front portion I through which projects a latchbolt adapted to be retracted by a retraetor i2. The spindle housing is designated by reference letter S in Fig. 15 and is formed of two parts, one of which is designated by reference numeral i3 and the other by reference numeral i4. The parts I3, I4 are threaded so that roses l5 and I6 may be applied thereto, it being the function of the roses to secure the spindle housing relatively to the transverse bore in the door in which the housing is placed relatively to the door. Thus, the spindle housing S is inserted into a bore in a door as illustrated in Fig. 1, whereupon the rotation of the roses will clamp it relatively to the bore of the door and hold it in central assembled relation thereto.

The outside end of the spindle housing is covered by a decorative brass scalp |'I, as can best be seen in Figs. 1 and 4, while the inside end of the spindle housing is covered by a decorative scalp I8, both scalps being forced over the ends of the housing and serving not only as decorative members, but also to hold in assembled relation the two parts |3, I4 forming the spindle housing S.

'I'he outside knob is designated by reference numeral |9 and is here shown formed of sheet metal crimped at opposed points 29 for assembly to a sleeve 2|, it being appreciated that because of the particular relationship, the knob and sleeve will always be rotatable together. Because the particular lock described by me here is to be used as an outside lock, there is carried by outside knob |3 a pin tumbler cylinder 22 equipped with a key plug 23 held assembled to the cylinder by a plate 24. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that upon insertion of a key into the key plug 23, the key plug will be rotatable relatively to the cylinder 22 from an initial locked position to a release position. When the key and key plug are rotated back to the initial locked position, the key is then removable, allas is standard and well known in this art.

The inside knob is designated by reference numeral 25 and is also formed of sheet metal. The inside knob carries a push button 25 adapted to operate a plate 28 with friction being applied to the plate by a spring 29 carried by the knob, it being the function of the spring to hold the plate 28 and the push button 2B yieldingly in any position to which the push button may be moved. The sheet metal forming the inside knob is crimped at 38 to a cylindrical member 3| in the same manner as the outside knob |9 is crimped at 2l] to the sleeve 2|. Therefore, the cylindrical body 3| and the knob 25 will always rotate together.

The cylindrical body 3| carries therein a retainer 32, pressed by a spring 33 in an upward direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4. It is the function of this retainer 32 to enter a slot 34 in the spindle 35 best illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. Thus, when the inside knob is applied to the spindle housing, it enters a bore 36 at the left hand end of the spindle housing seen in Fig. 1 until the detent 32 moves opposite one of the slots 34 of the spindle plate 35. The retainer 32 will move into the particular slot 34 and thereafter will hold the knob 25 against outward movement relatively to the spindle 35 and therefore against movement outwardly of the lock. When it is desired to remove the inside handle, the retainer 32 may be pressed downwardly in Figs. 2 and 4 against the pressure of the spring plished by rotating of the inside knob and the cylindrical body 3| until one end of the retainer is opposite a series of aligned openings 3l formed in the sleeve I8, the spindle housing S and the sheet metal of the knob 25. Of course, upon movement of the retainer 32 downwardly as described, the knob and the cylindrical body 3| may be moved away from assembled relation to the locking mechanism. It will be appreciated that the cylindrical body 3| supports also for movement the part 2-8 secured to the push button 25, the said part having a lug 26u whereby it also is retained in the body by retainer 32. Further, the cylindrical body 3| serves to unite the inside knob for rotation integrally with spindle 35.

i with a central opening 4|, and a series of four slots 42, it being the function of each of the slots 42 to align properly a part of the at plate-like spindle and a part of the plate-like spindle detent 39. It is, therefore, obvious that the aligning plate will hold the spindle detent 39 and spindle 35 at right angles to one another and for sliding movement of the spindle detent 39 relatively to the spindle 35. Also, the aligning plate 40 functions as a bearing if member, it being adapted to rotate with the spindle 35 and the spindle detent 39 relatively to the spindle housing, and lying for that purpose within a slot 43 of the spindle housing best shown in Fig. 13.

A coupler 44 is equipped with cross slots 45 and 46 for housing the inner end portion of the spindle 35 and spindle detent 39 as is probably best seen in Fig. 13, the coupler itself being best illustrated in Fig. 14. A spindle dog 4l', well shown in Fig. 14, is moved into place over the coupler 44 so as to ride on the surface 48 of the said coupler as best seen in Fig. 13. Further, the dog 47 is adapted also to be retained in slot 49 formed on the legs of the U-shaped spindle detent 39. The dog l1 is assembled relatively to the coupler 44 and spindle detent 39 as seen in Fig. 13 by the alignment rst of its slots 50 with the lugs 5| of the spindle detent 33, after which its rotation to the position of Fig. 14 will remove the slots 50 thereof from opposite the lugs 5|. Thereafter, the spindle dog 4l will lie within the slots 49 of spindle detent 39 and will be prevented from endwise movement relatively to the spindle detent 39, and for movement integrally therewith longitudinally of the spindle 35.

It will be noted that when the dog 4l is in the position of Fig. 13 relatively to the spindle 35, its slots 53 are in engagement with surfaces 52 of the spindleV 35 so that the dog and spindle are held against relative rotation. It is so held by detent 39 under the influence of spring 1|. Therefore, rotation of the dog 41 must eiect rotation of the spindle 35 and vice versa. On the other hand, should the dog 41 be moved to the right from its position in Fig. 13 and opposite theneckfFSz ofhthe .spindle-.35p .thenfthe .dog 4 1 Will be ffree ,-for-:'-'rotation; .relativelyg-tothe spindle .35,,and similarlyf-the spindlei 35 will :be free for-'rotation' relatively-.to:thedog:` LDegli? is thus moved zlongitudinallyfofthe spindle Vby spindle e detent Sb-.it loe-ingeren'iernbered.r .that t'he dog 4.1.m-ustfmove with -fspindlefdetent .S9-110ecause itlies within theslots'fdgof-.the spindle detent 3i). rllhis :movement-of .the spindle detent the. plate.28 movingfwi-thpush button 25.v .Thus, whenever Athe push-.button 26 is'zrnoyedv frornfits position fofw-Figsfl .and 4 Ato .the v:position offzFig. 6the spindle .detent .tvlwi-ll-ubeamoted to the right and..tothe..position.of Fg.6,'thereby .ef.- fectingi.movement.fof the dog .'i .to theright relativelyA to the spindle-'35. EogV 37 lies at all times within slot- 21s lof sleeve 2|..xed'to the outside k-nob butin differentulongitudinalposi@ tionsv relatively 'thereto' Moreovenf dog d1' can never rotate, oncein. spindle housingfS, outY of slots iQ-foi. `the .spindle detent 39, since -bolthi-its rotationand -the f rotation. 4of spindle v'detent x39 are limited...

Whenthe dog..-ll .is moved lbyfthe action of push button 21to the position Vof- Fig. pitiis placed I.between shoulder-sf A vformed ola-the spindlehousing portionl 14,. these. shoulders being well illustrated-inFigA 13 l and also.- in'. Fig.. .3. Whentherdogodl `is ineitsnor-mal position-illustratedin Figs.. 1 and..4, .it will bejustnto the. left of .the shoulders 5.4,..andoppositesurface-55 of the. spindle housing. .portion .I 4 illustratedin-Flig. 13. It is obvious,- therefore,` that when-the dog d1 is opposite the surface` 55u11 thepositionwof the. partsin Eig. .1, the dog .IW- -is free to .rotate the spindleandemayreadily -be .rotated vbyv the outside knob... On the .other1h=and, whenv the dog -4'1 is positionedhetween the shoulders ed, `the dog will be held againstrotation.-

At the same: time. thatthe. dog-l?. ismoved to alocked position between". the i shoulders. 5e, A it is also .moved opposite. theheckfportion-.S of lthe spindle .35. Therefore; the spindle 35 -w-ill. be capable -of rotation. relatively. tomthe dogf- 47. Therefore, .evenfthoughotheg depression of :the push buttonZS locks. the. dog M. against. rotation inthe position ofthepartsin Fig. 6, .it .still Vleaves the inside knobl free:..for.=rotation.with.sthe spindle for the .retractionv of. the latchbolt-as will presently be described. Naturally, the-.outside knob, is.. locked howeyen. together...with..dog. .'41 beeauseoi the factlthatdog Allies. always y.in slot 2te ofvsleeve 2! fixed'- tothe. outside. :knol i9.

The lat'chbolt housing..L.has .already been set forth as containing a latohbolt vi I and alatchbolt retractor i2. Thelatchbolt ll is hormallyfmain. tained spring pressedoutwardly yinto,.the position of Figs.Y 1 Land 6. by .aspring well illus.-A trated in Figs. 1 and 5. .A deadlockoontrolling plunger is designatedby reference.numeral..5?., and it is pressedoutwardly by aspring 58- .The manner. in .which the...plunger-.5l .controls the latchbolt l lI will not be here .described .asitdoes not form part of `my -invention herein to. A'be claimed.. Latchbolt l tis retractableby operation of a walkingbearn. 59, .pivoted at- 60. to. a cast.- ing Si that is inserted Yinto thehousingLto form an integral part thereof.. .Walking beam 59 foontacts the `latchbolt. at B2 and is equipped with a surface 63 in Contact. with a surface '66 of` the retractor l2. It will readilybe. appreciated .that when the retractor I2. is moved from the position of Fig. 5' to the position of. Fig.. 'Lits surfacell operating against surface 63 ofthe Walkingbeani 6 59, will effect .retraction :sof `the 4a:latehlcnolt: 3H. against the pressure Jof. thespring 5.6;. It willwalso be seen th-atfspring5:6sserves to hold the lretr'a'ctor i2 in its positioniof. Fig. 5, wherein the fretractor is shown juxtaposed relativelyY to spin'dlee.

For assemblingfthefxlatchbolthousing to the spindle housing, .thereA is 'pivoted taboutthe :same shaft 6.0 thatfcarriesfthe l'walking beam/591e detent -levert urged clockwise in Fig. 5 byfa leaf spring 66.` The detent Aleverv [Sohas a: hook portion 61 adaptedfito goo-act With'anyone of the four retaining' lugsr"formedwonH-the spindle housing-S: 'At thisw'point it. will bevwell1to-=coi1z Sider thatthespindle housing VS is formed with opposed." openings located :centrally thereof .and designated by the lett-er 10,'the four retaininglugs S82 outlining the opposed: openings as ris Vwell --seen inthedrawingsza Tl'ierefore,y -it isv possible to move the .-latohbolthousing i-ntothat. :assembled -zrela-i tion :to the spindle housing illustrated inzFign infull lines: ltisalso possibleto tur/n the latchebolt housing iup-sideedownY and insert itat-the opposite sidefof thespindlefhousing as. illustrated inv dashand dottedlines in Fig. 5. As a :matter of faot,.it isy possiblethus .to-insert the yl'atolfibolt housing f in :four different positions: relatively' to the spindle housing S,.it being-clear that in each position .theendfoithei'etractor. -12 -will lie in juxtaposed relation tto thespindle platerE-"as bestfseenin Fig.. 5.- i- Because offthis relationshipoflthe parts, it is possible to yassemble :the .llaltchbolthousing'to the spindle housing asi-llustrated in Fig: 1-6 Where the boltis shown with-fits-bevrel placedl in enefparti'oular relationship. to V.the spindle' housing. -By merely turning theolatchbolt housing .180.o4 `in longitudinal-axisyzitmay be assembled relatively to the spindle housing las shown in Fig. 17 .Where the bevel 4of .the-boltzis .directly opposite that. illus*- tr-ated in Fig 16. :y O11/ theotherhand, .the llatchbolt housing .may be. assembled relativelyA -to the upper opening. 0 .illustrated in Fig. 16, in either one of ftwo :rotatedpositions so -asv to-yield-the assemblies :illustrated-.in-Eigs...18:and 19. .All `this ispossiblebecause of .the very novel conceptof my inventionf: Ofcourse, in all positions .the latchbolt.-lfetrtactorv i2 will ...beoperable by.. the spindle. 55, as wel-l illustrated throughreference toFigs. 5-and..7..

I have already. described just howfthe spindle detent 39and dog. 41. aremoved to the rig-ht from theirpositionpf.Fig. .13 and Fig. .1. .to the position of, Fig..6 .by-.action of .push-button 5. .I. shall now describe just how the spindle detent andthe dog 4,1 are .maintainedinthe position of. Fig. 6. It; will.. be .noted .that thespindle. detent -39 is bevelled-atEQ. herefore, in its movement from the position. of lltothe position of Fig. 6-.it earns the retractor ..I.2\ slightly. downwardlyin l. until .it moves. lto `the .right of. .the retractor l2 lasillustrat'edinFig.,6. Thereupon, theretractorli? lis .lifel :l...bf,zthe` la'tchbolt .spring through.` the. walking-beam :59, in they position of Fig.. 6 .andY against.. the -surface .l .ofethe spindle detent Therefore, .in the positionotthe. parte in Fig. 6,.the.retractor I2 .locks the spindle detent E!)n against .movement to. the. leitender. the influencefoi. .the .spring it tending. normally. Ito move thedogidi -andftlie .spindle datent tothe extreme left. position relatively to the spindle 35 illustratedv in .Figs.-.1,.fi, and 13.h

lf the inside knooZE-.isnow rotated, it will rotate spindlell integrally therewith .because the dog .A7 lis inlrelease .position-relatively to the spindle, being opposite the neck portion 53 of--the spindle. This movement of the spindle 35 will eiect movement of the retractor I2 from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. '1. rThis will, of course, move the retractor I2 away from surface of the spindle detent 39, and the spindle detent 39 will move with the dog 41 under the inuence of spring 1I back to the position of Fig. 1. In other words, immediately upon rotation of the inside knob' 25, the retractor I2 releases the spindle detent and the dog 41 so that they move to unlocking position.

Let us now say that the inside push button 26 has moved the spindle detent to the position of Fig. 6, rendering the outside knob inoperative to rotate the spindle 35, due to the fact that it is locked against rotation by the dog 41 and due further to the fact that the dog 41 is functionally released from the spindle 35. Means must now be provided so that the outside knob may be rendered operative through the rotation of the key plug 23 already described. Moreover, the rotation of the key plug 23, must as I have already emphasized, not allow for the release movement of the push button 26 to the position of Figs. 1 and 4. In other words, it is desired that the key actuation of the plug 23 merely temporarily render the outside knob I9 operative, but not permit a throwoi of the locked condition created earlier by the inward push of the push button 26.

For the particular purpose, the key plug 23 is formed with a lug 12 lying within opposed slots 13 of a sleeve 14 which I term a dog actuator. This sleeve 14, as best illustrated in Figs. 4, 8, 9, and 10, is formed with opposed cams 15 terminating in a central limit lug 15a.. When the push button 26 and the spindle detent 39 are in the position of Figs. 1, 4, and 13, a lug 16 at the extreme right hand end of the spindle detent 39 is maintained to the left of the opposed cams 15 of the dog actuator 14. While the cams are well illustrated in perspective in Fig. 10, their function can also well be appreciated by an examination 0f Fig. 4 wherein the lug 16 is shown displaced laterally from the cams 15. When the push button 26 is moved inwardly from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 6, lug 16 is moved to the right of the cams 15 of the dog actuator 14. If now the dog actuator is rotated by the key plug 23, one or the other of the cams 15 will press against the lug 16 moving the spindle detent further to the right from its position of Figs. 6 and 11. This movement of the spindle detent to the right from the position of Fig. 6 will bring the dog 41 away from opposite the shoulders 54 and into position opposite surface 11 of the spindle housing as best seen in Fig. 12. Therefore, dog 41 will now be free for rotation once again and the outside knob will also be free for rotation and can rotate the dog 41 through the slots 2Is.

Moreover, the dog 41 will have moved with the spindle detent to bring its slots 50 into alignment with the portions 18 of the spindle 35, best illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. Therefore, the dog 41 is once again coupled to the spindle and will rotate that spindle. Because of this relationship of the parts, the outside knob will rotate the dog 41 and spindle 35 and will retract the latchbolt. If, once the latchbolt is retracted to allow opening of the door, the latchbolt is again projected, the mere rotation of the key plug 23 back to its position of Fig. 6 will allow the spindle detent 39 to move also to the position of Figs. 6 and 11, bringing the surface 10 of the spindle detent once again opposite the retractor I2 as illustrated in Fig. 6. Once again the outside knob will be held locked because dog 41 will have entered between the shoulders 54 of the spindle housing S. At the same time, the dog 41 will have moved opposite the neck portion 53 of the spindle 35 so that the outside knob is 'locked and is functionally disconnected from the spindle 35. Thus, the release rotation of the key plug to release the outside knob temporarily has not effected a throwoff of the outside knob locking mechanism.

It will be remembered that it is undesirable in one form of lock t0 release the push button and spindle detent for movement from the position of Fig. 6 to the position of Figs. 1 and 4 when the latchbolt Il is retracted as by the shutting of a door. My lock operates as is desired in this instance because of the relationship between the surface 16 and the end surface of retractor I2. Thus, it will be appreciated that should the latchbolt be moved inwardly in Fig. 5, there will be no pressure thereafter against the walking beam 59 by surface 62, and there will be nothing to prevent the free movement to the left in Fig. 5 of the retractor I2. Therefore, even very slight pressure exerted endwise against the retractor I2 and toward the left in Fig. 5 or downwardly in Fig. 6, will be effective to move the retractor, because there is nothing but slight friction to oppose such movement of the retractor once the latchbolt has been retracted, as by a strike. The relationship between surface 10 of the spindle detent and the end surface of retractor I2 is such, however, that absolutely no end pressure is exerted against retractor I2, and the retractor functions to hold the spindle detent 39 in its position of Fig. 6 even when the door is closed.

In some instances it is desired to effect release of the spindle detent upon retraction of the latchbolt by a strike. There, it is only necessary to bevel the surface 10 so that it takes the form of the surface 19a in Fig. 21. Now, should the latchbolt be retracted as illustrated in Fig. 2l through closing of the door, there will no longer be any pressure whatsoever on the walking beam 59 nor any pressure at 63, 64 on the retractor I2. Therefore, the spring 1| will press the spindle detent 39 to the left in Fig. 21 and such movement will not be opposed by the retractor I2. Therefore, there will be an automatic release of the push button and the spindle detent 39 by the retraction of the latchbolt through the closing of the door.

Means are provided by me to maintain the spindle in a particular normal position corresponding to that illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. For the purpose, there is mounted about the spindle 35 and the spindle detent 39 a sleeve 80 that is so slotted as to nt over the spindle and detent and to be rotatable integrally therewith. Mounted about the sleeve 88 is a controlling sleeve 8! and a second controlling sleeve 82, there being a torsion spring 83 positioned between the sleeves so as to rotate the sleeves in opposed directions relativelyV to the axis of rotation of the spindle 35. Through suitable opposed lugs, the sleeve BIJ will rotate one of the controlling sleeves 8I when the spindle rotates in one direction and the other controlling sleeve 82 when the spindle rotates in the reverse direction. The arrangement of the controlling sleeves and the spindle is well set forth in my earlier application, Ser. No. 64,735 led December 1l, 1948, and since it per se is not claimed in this application, it is thought that no further detailed description thereof need be shown here. Obviously, other means could be readily devised for yieldingly resisting the rotation of the spinan outside-door. .l consider-my .invention `to` be one. ofsextreme importance toY thisL art and -a contribution :that has long. been sought. .f Inoy claim: l

e 1. In a-locl of the .class described, -a V.spindle housing., a spindlefrotatably mounted insaid spindle housing, r a tlatchbolthousing,..a 'latchbolt retraatorein, saidvlhousing'with. a part.' thereof extending vfrom said ;-latchb,o.lt,housing,saidT spindle housing.r havingxopposedgopenings 7yyl'ierehy said latchbolt' retractor enters said: spindlehousing selectively-,at each-ot diametricallyopposedposiitions to--revereeitheoperationenthelockandfwith said retractor; and :latchbolthousing selectivelyzin either; Qfg. two..1 oppositeppsitions2 inseaoh.; of said dia-metrially opposedpositions; and.` means' 01.1 said .SDl'ldle; .grotatinglfr and thereby f smovingsaid retractor l inyeach: .of ithefiour positions? said retractorf assumes relatiyely :to said;- spindlerhousing,

-.2.,;In..a lool;` of; theiclasssdescribed,1al-spindle housing irai/ing;` avtransversexthrouglr. opening,- a' Spindlerotatably:mounted'insaidrspindle-housing andI extending;4 past-:said ftransverseropening. @a latchboltfhousina .a latchbolt;,.r.etractor in saidlatchbolt. housing; with-a a. e-partf; thereof adapted for insertion into said spindle 'housing selectively thr.0l1gh;eaflh ofisaidt-transverse opening and toward said spindle to reverse the operation of thefloick, and withxsaid retractor anddatchbolt housing selectively-in either of two opposite positions as said retractor is thus inserted into each end. of, said transverse throughr opening, and means; on said spindlerotating'andj thereby'moving; saidA retraotorin' leach ofY thegiour V,positions saidretraotor assumes relativelyito salidspindle housing.

,BILInalock of'theclass" described, al' spindle housing having atransversethrongh opening,'`a spindle. rotatably mountedin said spindle housing and? extending' past saidtransyerse openingfaJ latchbolt housing; a latchbolt retractorn sa'i'd latchbolt housi-ngadaptedsfoi" insertion into said spindlealiousing selectivelyi vthrough each endvofv said r transverse openingtoward fsaid spindle'- to reverse the operation ofthe lock, and means on said spindle rotating as said spindle rotates relatively to said spindle housing and thereby moving said retractor in each of the positions said retractor assumes relatively to said spindle housing.

4. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, a spindle rotatably mounted in said spindle housing, a latchbolt housing, a latchbolt in said latchbolt housing, a latchbolt retractor in said latchbolt housing, means whereby movement of said latchbolt retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing retracts said latchbolt, said spindle housing having opposed openings whereby said latchbolt retractor enters said spindle 'housing selectively at each of diametrically opposed positions to reverse the operation of the lock, and means on said spindle rotating and thereby moving said, retractor-..inwardlypf said .latchbolt housing. and outwardly. oflsaidshndle housing.. in.. each of... said opposed .,positions.

5.,..In a l.looki oftheclassdescribed,a, spindle housing,` a plate.. mounted,A forrmovementin said spindle @housing with a,v latchbolt. yretraoting, surfacey l ,positioned substantially l, diametr-ically of said spindle hausnma latshleoltihousing, a latchholt,v retractoizsin said ,latchbolt-housing, .l said spindlelhousizng having anloneninefwhereby said latchbolt retractor.. entersflsaidnspindle: housing eotively4 at each. ofppposedpositions to reverse @eration oi l the; iocla. and .means ino-ving said t latchbolt...retracting,fsurface and aid .retractorlin eachg of the positor assumesrelatively to said tiene re spindle housing.

6. In yafloek ofthe classv deseribedwa `spindle a fspindle. rotatably :mounted in 'Said spindle housing withfopposed .latchbolt fretracting Slllifaces; positioned; .Isubst,arrtially` dia-metrically of',.sa-id;spindie. housingvf a latchbolt .-housins, Aa latchbolt :retractor in said latchbolt housing,` Said spindle ,housing havingonpesed. Openings whereby-fsaid lato-loben.: retractor enterssaidfspindle housingselectvelyfatgieachz of. diam@ ioally `0n-l posed-.fno i onsftof reverse the oper-a on of the locl. :;,f andi said opposed. latchboltV retracting surfe esofsaideenindle. rotatingandatherebyrmoyine said, retractor in each oifsaidropposed positions.

f7- In aflorar; of he;classidescribedrasspmdle 11o-Heins amleto. kefmemberfmounted-ior movement said spindle housing-zt l.1atthbolthousing, a: latchbolt;:retractorsim said! latchbolt; housing,

- said spindle housing having an openingfwhereby said .-latchbolt. retraotnrz enters saidspindlez housing seleetivelyateeach foilplisedl.positions.I to; reterseltliei. operation. .off theI loch,v the: endl-ger `said retractor: innsaidi` positions '-lyingijuxtaposed' Ito one side ofgfsaid plateelike membeniand means on salda spindlelfhousing .ionmoving saidfmember' and thereby.,y moving: said .'retraetoninv each-z of thepo'sitionsfosaidi;retraetorf .assumes relatively:A to Ysaid spindleihousing.

n.83 In: ai loch fofthe."classtfdescribedp al spindle housingfa plate-.likelmemberimountedifor movement!iirrisadfl spindleihousing; a; latchbolt; hous. ing, a atchboltretractor: infisaid latchbolt housing,.,rsaid1` Spindler-housing i having .aan opening whereby isaid :latchboltfretractor enters said spindle Yhousing, selectively -at each A:off-opposed positions to reverse-rthewoperationvlof the lock, the end ofrsaid retractor-irrsaid-positions lying jllntapose'd to: oneiside-f of' said plateelike member, whereby the movement of said pla-te=lil ie member moves'said'retractorin-'each of said/opposed fpositionsisaid retractor-assumeserelatively tofsai'dispindlefhousingl I 9. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, a flat plate-like member mounted for movement in said spindle housing, a latchbolt housing, a latchbolt in said latchbolt housing, a latchbolt retractor in said latchbolt housing, means whereby movement of said latchbolt retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing retracts said latchbolt, said spindle housing having an opening whereby said latchbolt retractor enters said spindle housing selectively at each of opposed positions to reverse the operation of the lock, the end of said retractor in said positions lying juxtaposed to one side oi said flat platelike member, and means in said spindle housing moving said flat plate-like member whereby tol move said retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing and outwardly of said spindle housing 1 l in each of the positions said retractor assumes relatively to said spindle housing.

10. In a lock of the class described, a, spindle housing, a at plate-like member mounted for movement in said spindle housing, a latchbolt housing, a latchbolt in said latchbolt housing, a latchbolt retractor in said latchbolt housing, means whereby movementl of said latchbolt retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing retracts said latchbolt, said spindle housing having an opening whereby said latchbolt retractor enters said spindle housing selectively at each of opposed positions to reverse the operation of the lock, the end of said retractor in said positions lying juxtaposed to one side of said plate-like member, and-knobs for moving said member and thereby moving said retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing and outwardly of said spindle housing in each of said opposed positions.

11. In a lock of the class described, a, spindle housing, a plate movably mounted in said spindle housing with a latch bolt retracting surface facing one side of said spindle housing, a latch bolt housing, a latch bolt in said latch bolt housing, a latch bolt retractor in said latch bolt housing, means whereby movement of said latch bolt retractor inwardly of said latch bolt housing retracts said latch bolt, said spindle housing having an opening whereby the end of said latch bolt retractor enters said spindle housing in juxtaposition to said latch bolt retracting surface of said plate, a knob on said spindle housing, and means whereby said knob moves said plate in said spindle housing to retract said latch bolt through coaction of said latch bolt retracting surface with said retractor.

12. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, a thin flat plate having a latch bolt retracting surface movably mounted in said spindle housing, a latch bolt housing, means supporting said latch bolt housing relatively to said spindle housing,.a latch bolt insaid latch bolt housing, a latch bolt retractor in said latch bolt housing having, aV vertical end surface, means whereby movement of said latch bolt retr-actor inwardly of such latch bolt housing retracts said latch bolt, a spring holdinglsaid plate withits latch bolt retracting surface substantially parallel and juxtaposed to said end surface of said latch bolt retractor, a knob rotatably mounted relatively to said spindle housing, and means whereby said knob moves said plate in said spindle housing against the force of said spring to retract said latch bolt through pressure of saidlatch bolt retracting surfacev against the end surface of said retractor.A f Y Y ,Y

13.7111, a lock of the classl described, a, spindle housing, knobsmounted for rotation relativelyV to said spindle housing, a plate movably mounted in said spindle housing, a latchbolt housing, a latchbolt retractor in said latchbolt housing, said spindle housing having an opening whereby said `latchbolt retractor enters said spindle housing selectively in each of opposed positions of said latchbolt housing relatively to said spindle housing to reverse the operation of the lock, the end of said latchbolt retractor lying then in juxtaposed relation to said plate, and means whereby said knobs move said plate relatively to said spindle housing and thereby move said retractor to retract said latchbolt in each of said 'opposed positions of said latchbolt housing relatively to said spindle housing.

14. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, a thin plate-like member mounted in said spindle housing for movement relatively thereto, spring means holding said plate-like member in a vertical position when said spindle housing is mounted in predetermined relation'to a door, -a latchbolty in said latchbolt housing, a latchbolt retractor in said latchbolt housing terminating in a surface-held vertically when said latchbolt housing is assembled with said spindle housing in said predetermined relation to a door, means whereby movement of said latchbolt retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing retracts said latchbolt, said spindle housing having an opening whereby said latchbolt retractor enters said spindle housing selectively and with said surface juxtaposed to said plate-like member in each of opposed positions of said latchbolt housing relatively to lsaid spindle housing, knobs rotatably mounted relatively to said spindle housing, and means actuated by said knobs for moving said plate-like member and thereby moving said retractor inwardly of said latchbolt housing and outwardly of said spindle housing upon rotation of said knobs in each of the positions said retractor assumes relatively to said spindle housing.

FREDERIC K. HEYER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number v Name Date 585,614 Babcock June 29, 1897 1,674,841 Schlage June 26, 1928 1,845,197 Schlage Feb. 16,1932 1,902,343 Shaw Mar. 21, 1933 2,175,791 Brauning Oct. 10, 1939 2,207,143 Braum'ng July 9, 1940 2,264,239 I-Iirsh Nov. 25, 1941 2,282,213 Rolph May 5, 1942 2,389,819 Schlage s Nov. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 239,797 Great Britain Sept. 17,'1925 

